Large pre-historic animals journeyed to '''Big Bone Lick, Kentucky''' because of its combination of marshy swamp water and important nutrients found in the mineral rich soil. The soft ground could not sustain a large animal's weight and it would sink and become trapped. Over time, many fossils were found, and one of these animals was the Mastodon (mammoth). Explorers have been coming to the area as early as the 1730s. [[Thomas Jefferson|Jefferson]] heard about these discoveries and for him, the discoveries there and elsewhere proved in his mind that he would see a live Mastodon one day, or at least see the fossils.

+

During prehistoric times, the area of present-day '''Big Bone Lick, Kentucky''' was frequented by large mammals that became trapped in the marshy waters. As early as the 1730s, curiosity-seekers had been exploring the area and marveling at the large fossils they found there, including those of the mastodon.

-

In 1799, when Jefferson was president of the [[American Philosophical Society]], he wrote a circular on what the society should research. One priority was to procure a Mastodon skeleton from Big Bone Lick.<ref>Henry Phillips, [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/14556821 ''Early Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society...from the Manuscript Minutes of its Meetings from 1744 to 1838] (Philadelphia : McCalla & Stavely, 1884), 258.</ref>

+

In 1797, after [[Thomas Jefferson]] became president of the [[American Philosophical Society]], he and the other members of the "committee to collect information respecting the past and present state of this country" published a circular letter recommending specific topics of inquiry to Society members. First on the list was "to procure one or more entire skeletons of the Mammoth, so called, and of such other unknown animals as either have been, or hereafter may be discovered in America."<ref>"Circular Letter: The Society Having Appointed a Committee to Collect Information Respecting the Past and Present State of This Country, the Committee during the Last Year Addressed the following Letter to Such Persons as Were Likely, in Their Opinion to Advance the Object of the Society" ''Transactions of the American Philosophical Society'' 4 (1799), xxxvii.</ref>

==Lewis and Clark==

==Lewis and Clark==

-

Jefferson instructed [[Meriwether Lewis]] and [[William Clark]] to search for Mastodons on their [[Lewis and Clark Expedition|expedition]]. In Cincinnati on his way west to meet Clark, [[Meriwether Lewis]] met Dr. William Goforth to look at some Mastedon bones Goforth found at Big Bone Lick. He wrote Jefferson about that encounter in a letter dated October 3, 1803.<ref>Donald Jackson, ed. [http://tjportal.monticello.org/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1853 ''Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition]. (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1978), 2:126-130.</ref> The [[Lewis and Clark Expedition|expedition]] never found a Mastedon, so Jefferson turned to Big Bone Lick.

+

Jefferson also instructed [[Meriwether Lewis]] and [[William Clark]] to search for mastodons on their [[Lewis and Clark Expedition|expedition]]. In Cincinnati on his way west to meet Clark, [[Meriwether Lewis]] met Dr. William Goforth to examine some mastodon bones Goforth had found at Big Bone Lick. He wrote Jefferson about that encounter in a letter dated October 3, 1803.<ref>Donald Jackson, ed. [http://tjportal.monticello.org/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1853 ''Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition''] (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1978), 2:126-130.</ref> The expedition never found a mastodon, living or dead.

-

In 1807 to complete the [[American Philosophical Society|Society's]] directive, Jefferson sent [[William Clark]] to Big Bone Lick to find some of these Mastodon bones and send one back. By September, Clark hired ten men and ended up sending three boxes filled with fossils to the President's House.<ref>Evidently, another shipment of three boxes never made it to Washington. The ship made it to Havana, Cuba, but the ship was condemned as unseaworthy, and the contents lost. See, Bedini, [[Short Title List|''Statesman of Science'']], 416.</ref> The boxes arrived in March 1808 and Casper Wistar joined Jefferson and began to catalog its findings.

+

In 1807, to complete the American Philosophical Society directive, Jefferson sent William Clark to Big Bone Lick to obtain fossilized mastodon bones. By September, Clark had hired ten men to assist in the endeavor and sent three boxes filled with fossils to the President's House.<ref>Evidently, another shipment of three boxes never made it to Washington. The ship made it to Havana, Cuba, but the ship was condemned as unseaworthy, and the contents lost. See Bedini, [[Short Title List|''Statesman of Science'']], 416.</ref> The boxes arrived in March 1808 and Casper Wistar joined Jefferson to catalog their contents.

==Primary Source References<ref>Please note that this list should not be considered comprehensive.</ref>==

==Primary Source References<ref>Please note that this list should not be considered comprehensive.</ref>==

Current revision

During prehistoric times, the area of present-day Big Bone Lick, Kentucky was frequented by large mammals that became trapped in the marshy waters. As early as the 1730s, curiosity-seekers had been exploring the area and marveling at the large fossils they found there, including those of the mastodon.

In 1797, after Thomas Jefferson became president of the American Philosophical Society, he and the other members of the "committee to collect information respecting the past and present state of this country" published a circular letter recommending specific topics of inquiry to Society members. First on the list was "to procure one or more entire skeletons of the Mammoth, so called, and of such other unknown animals as either have been, or hereafter may be discovered in America."[1]

Contents

Lewis and Clark

Jefferson also instructed Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to search for mastodons on their expedition. In Cincinnati on his way west to meet Clark, Meriwether Lewis met Dr. William Goforth to examine some mastodon bones Goforth had found at Big Bone Lick. He wrote Jefferson about that encounter in a letter dated October 3, 1803.[2] The expedition never found a mastodon, living or dead.

In 1807, to complete the American Philosophical Society directive, Jefferson sent William Clark to Big Bone Lick to obtain fossilized mastodon bones. By September, Clark had hired ten men to assist in the endeavor and sent three boxes filled with fossils to the President's House.[3] The boxes arrived in March 1808 and Casper Wistar joined Jefferson to catalog their contents.

1807 February 25. (Jefferson to Dr. Casper Wistar). "Captain Clarke (companion to Captain Lewis) who is now here, agrees, as he passes through that country, to stop at the Lick, employ laborers, and superintend the search at my expense [sic], not that of the society, and to send me the specific bones wanted, without further trespassing on the deposit..If, therefor, you will be so good as to send me a list of the bones wanting...the business shall be effected without encroaching at all on the funds of the society..."[5]

1807 December 19. (Jefferson to Dr. Casper Wistar). "I have lately received a letter from General Clarke. He has employed ten laborers several weeks, at the Big-bone Lick, and has shipped the result, in three large boxes, down the Ohio, via New Orleans, for this place, where they are daily expected. He has sent, 1st, of the Mammoth, as he calls it...2d, of what he calls the Elephant...3d, of something of the Buffalo species...There is a tusk and a femur which General Clarke procured particularly at my request, for a special kind of cabinet I have at Monticello..."[6]

Footnotes

↑ "Circular Letter: The Society Having Appointed a Committee to Collect Information Respecting the Past and Present State of This Country, the Committee during the Last Year Addressed the following Letter to Such Persons as Were Likely, in Their Opinion to Advance the Object of the Society" Transactions of the American Philosophical Society 4 (1799), xxxvii.

↑ Evidently, another shipment of three boxes never made it to Washington. The ship made it to Havana, Cuba, but the ship was condemned as unseaworthy, and the contents lost. See Bedini, Statesman of Science, 416.